There has been known a technique about a printing apparatus which continuously prints print data of a plurality of pages stored in a memory of the apparatus while a plurality of sheets remaining in a sheet conveyance path from a feeder unit to a sheet discharge unit (for example, see JP-A-H01-306249). Also, in order to perform a recovery print, a printing apparatus holds print data until a sheet having a print data image printed thereon is discharged, and erases the print data on a condition that discharge of the sheet is completed.
However, the related-art printing apparatus has a following problem, and there is a room for improvement on sheet conveyance when print data of the maximum number of pages is stored in the memory of the apparatus.
For example, assuming a printing apparatus which can store print data of four pages in a memory and perform printing while up to five sheets remaining in a sheet conveyance path, i.e., can convey up to five sheets simultaneously, when print data from a first page to a fourth page is already stored in the memory, the apparatus does not start feeding a sheet for print data of a fifth page until at least, print and sheet discharge of the first page are completed and storing of print data of a fifth page into the memory is completed, so as to prevent a situation (so-called overrun) where a sheet reaches a process unit at a state where the storing of the print data is incomplete. That is, although the fifth sheet can be conveyed, the feed of the sheet for the print data of the fifth page is delayed until the storing of the print data of the fifth page into the memory is completed. Therefore, it is difficult to perform a print job at the maximum speed, so that a sufficient printing capability would not be achieved.